Enrique meets old friend as Barca seeks its biggest lead yet

MADRID (AP) — Luis Enrique returns home to face an old friend when Barcelona plays at Sporting Gijon in a postponed game on Wednesday to try to establish its biggest lead in the Spanish league this season.

Enrique will be going up against Sporting Gijon coach Abelardo Fernandez, a former teammate and a friend from the time they were kids.

"We've known each other since we were seven years old and went to school together," Enrique said Tuesday. "We've been lucky to have shared a lot of things. He is a very special person in my life, and his family is as well."

The pair grew up together in the northern city of Gijon and later played in the same Barcelona squad in the 1990s.

"Back then we never thought that we would eventually get to where we are now," said Abelardo, a former central defender. "I'm proud to be his friend. Our fathers have followed us since we were little kids, when we didn't weigh 25 kilos (55 pounds) together."

Enrique said it's always special to be back in Gijon and admitted he still doesn't know whether he will feel like celebrating if Barcelona scores.

"I've been a Sporting member since I was a kid. I used to watch games at the stadium with a team flag made by my mom," Enrique said. "But today I'm Barcelona's coach and the goal is always the same for every match. It's my home, but work comes first."

A victory on Wednesday would give Enrique's team a commanding lead atop the Spanish league after 24 rounds. The Catalan club would open a six-point advantage over Atletico Madrid and a seven-point lead over third-place Real Madrid. A win would also keep alive Barcelona's record streak of 30 games without a loss in all competitions.

"I hope the streak doesn't end, but if it has to end, I hope that it happens at (Gijon's) El Molinon (Stadium)," Enrique said. "But obviously I hope that it continues and we go 100 games without a loss."

The game was postponed from the 16th round in December because Barcelona was playing at FIFA's Club World Cup in Japan, a tournament it won.

Barcelona is coming off a 6-1 rout of Celta Vigo, when Lionel Messi attracted the world's attention by using a trick play in a second half penalty kick, passing the ball for Luis Suarez to score instead of taking the shot himself.

Sporting Gijon drew Rayo Vallecano 2-2 in its previous league game. It's only 16th in the 20-team standings, two points above the relegation zone.